GETTING ENOUGH BEAUTY SLEEP

I love sleep. You forget about pain, problems, stress, everything for a while.

How many times have you wished that your acne will be gone before you go to sleep?

When my skin was really bad, the first thing I would do in the morning was touch my face, to check if my skin felt as painful as the night before.

I used to love that time of the morning because that was when my skin looked its best. So I guess I have always believed in beauty sleep. Over my twelve years working in the beauty industry, I have consulted hundreds of people about their skin and sold hundreds of thousands of dollars in skincare products.

There are many people that do not understand the investment of good skincare.

Some of my clients would question why they would need to look after their skin at home when they have just had a facial with me. They would prefer to invest in a facial every now and then. To those clients I would use the example of the dentist. Not cleaning and caring for your skin at home, is like not cleaning your teeth in between visits to the dentist.

And there are many who rely ONLY on skincare and do not consider other aspects of their lifestyle to look after their skin.

You can buy the most expensive and most advanced products BUT if you are not getting enough sleep, you are not getting the most out of your ‘investment’. Sleep is not only a time to dream of clear skin but a specific time for our bodies to repair itself. In my opinion this is even more critical for someone with acne as the skin is inflamed with infection.

What do you notice about your skin when you’ve not been getting enough beauty sleep?

What’s actually happening:

Blood vessels dilate causing dark circles under the eyes (the most visual effect of lack of sleep)

Collagen production slows down and your skin appears dull

Inflammation occurs in the body (not only does this weaken your immune system but is the underlying cause of premature ageing and acne)

Your skin can’t repair itself, causing premature ageing

How much sleep is enough?

Typically eight hours is the recommended amount of sleep per night. This is very much dependant on the individual but generally speaking between seven and eight has been proven to be the most effective.

What should your skin look like after a good nights sleep?

Glowing radiance

Improved elasticity

Healthy skin tone

How can you ensure a better night sleep?

Avoid eating before going to bed. Ideally we should not eat after 19:00

Avoid caffeine and sugar

Avoid ‘Screen Time‘ 30-60 minutes before sleeping. (The light from the screens on devices like phones, tablets, computers and televisions can reduce the production of the sleep hormone melatonin)

Keep hydrated

Get the temperature just right. It’s better to be a little cooler rather than too hot (below 70 degrees Fahrenheit)

Take a warm shower or bath before bed

Keep a pen and paper by your bed to write down any thoughts that might be preventing you from switching off